Piyush Goyal to inaugurate 45th India International Trade Fair on November 13

According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, themed 'Vikas aur Virasat', the 2026 edition will bring together over 3,500 exhibitors from India and abroad across 17 halls, covering more than 1,00,000 square metres of exhibition space. The inauguration ceremony will also feature an Odissi performance by Padma Shri awardee Guru Madhavi Mudgal and her group.

Chairman, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Jawed Ashraf, said that IITF 2026 will celebrate India's progress, diversity and heritage, with a special focus on youth through around 600 start-ups at the Hall of Inspiration and district-level crafts, cuisine and culture at the ODOP Pavilion.

The exhibition will see participation from 32 States and Union Territories alongside 51 Central Ministries, Government Departments, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and Public Sector Banks. Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh will participate as Partner States, while Assam, Delhi, Jharkhand and West Bengal will serve as Focus States.

International participation will feature pavilions from 11 countries, including Thailand, Iran, Ghana, Nepal, Afghanistan, the UAE, Turkey, China, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, to foster global trade linkages.

Across the venue, Hall 1 will house the country pavilions, while Halls 2 to 5 will host the Partner and Focus States, Central Ministries, PSUs and Public Sector Banks. Halls 8 to 14 will feature consumer categories such as electronics, textiles, processed food, spices, agricultural produce, handicrafts and jewellery.

Additionally, the Hall of Inspiration in Hall 14 will showcase around 600 Indian start-ups across deep-tech, agri-tech, drones, space, healthcare and edtech. Meanwhile, the One District One Product (ODOP) Pavilion will feature 21 States displaying signature district crafts and cuisine, complemented by Playverse@Mandapam, an interactive digital experience for young visitors and families.

The first five days of the event, from November 14 to November 18, will operate as Business Days reserved for B2B visitors. The fair will open to the general public from November 19 to November 27. Daily timings will run from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, with general public entry permitted until 5:30 PM.

Tickets will be available online, through the official IITF 2026 mobile app, and offline at 55 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) stations. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities will receive free entry on General Days upon presenting a valid government-issued ID.

Alongside the trade exhibition, the venue will host 87 cultural performances across seven spaces, featuring artists such as Hariharan and Prithvi Gandharva, SalimSulaiman, The Manganiyar Seduction, Tal Fry, Shahzad Ali and Ruhaniyat.

A food court with over 90 outlets will operate under round-the-clock food safety monitoring. To manage logistics, ITPO will provide shuttle services, golf carts, internal mobility assistance, medical centres and security arrangements coordinated with Delhi Police. (ANI)